8186: Ruling on wiping over socks that have holes in them

Is it permissible to wipe over socks that have holes in them [when making wudoo’]?

Praise be to Allaah.

The
correct view is that it is permissible to wipe over khuff (leather slippers
which cover the foot and ankle) or socks that have holes in them. The
Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) allowed wiping over khuff and he did not stipulate
any condition that they should be whole and free of holes or tears,
especially since the khuff of his companions were not free of holes
or tears. If this had any effect on whether one could wipe over them,
the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) would have stated that clearly, for one of the
basic principles of usool al-fiqh is that it is not permitted to delay
explaining something when it is needed.

Imaam Sufyaan al-Thawri (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: “One may wipe over the khuff so long
as it is still clinging to the feet. Were the khuff of the Muhaajireen
and Ansaar anything but full of holes and tears?” (Narrated by ‘Abd
al-Razzaaq in al-Musanaaf, 1/194)

Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyah
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa (21/174): When
the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave the command to wipe over the
khuff, he knew what the normal state of affairs was, and he did not
stipulate the condition that the socks should be whole and free of any
faults. His command should be taken as general in meaning and it should
not be restricted unless there is any shar’i evidence for doing so.
What is implied by the wording is that any khuff that people wear and
walk about in may be wiped over, even if they have holes or are worn
out, without defining the acceptable extent for these holes and tears,
because even such a definition would require evidence…”

This is also the view of Ishaaq,
Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ibn ‘Uyaynah and Abu Thawr.

Imaam al-Shaafa'i and
Ahmad – according to the well-known views narrated from them – said
that it is not permissible to wipe over the khuff or socks so long as
there are any holes or tears in the place where it is obligatory to
do wudoo’. Abu Haneefah and Maalik differentiated between small holes
and large holes.

But the correct view is the
first view quoted above, which is that it is permissible to wipe over
the khuff or socks so long as they are still clinging to the feet and
it is still possible to walk in them.

It is also correct to wipe
over socks through which the skin can be seen, because the permission
to wipe over socks is general and no report of any restriction has been
narrated. This implies that any socks which people wear may be wiped
over. This is what is implied by those who say that it is permissible
to wipe over khuff that are worn out, so long as it is still possible
to walk in them.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him)
mentioned in al-Majmoo’ (1/502) that even if a person were to
wear khuff made of glass, if it were possible to walk in them then it
would be permissible to wipe over them, even though the skin beneath
them would be visible…